Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball

Brokaw Brings NBA Level Experience to Bobcat Bench

Sep 15, 2009

BANNER ELK, N.C. - Head men's basketball coach, Scott Polsgrove,
has announced the hiring of assistant coach Gary Brokaw who brings
a wealth of basketball experience to the Lees-McRae College Bobcat
bench in 2009.

"I am very excited that Coach Brokaw has chosen to become part
of our program," Polsgrove said. "The broad range of experience
that he has had at the NCAA DI and NBA levels will be a benefit to
everyone associated with our program."

Brokaw was a former All-American at Notre Dame and was on the 1974
team that pulled one of the greatest collegiate upsets of all time
defeating UCLA to snap their 88-game winning streak.

He also spent four years as a NBA player after being drafted by the
Milwaukee Bucks as the 18th overall pick in the 1974
draft.He averaged eight points in 241 career games
with Milwaukee, Cleveland and Buffalo.

After his time as a player in the NBA, Brokaw spent time as
an assistant at his alma mater, Notre Dame, under Digger Phelps for
five seasons.He made his head coaching debut at Iona
College where he was 72-74 in five seasons.

He broke onto the NBA seen in 1990 as the community relations
manager for the NBA league's office.From 1991-1995,
he was the NBA's director of basketball operations under NBA
executive and current New Jersey Nets President Rod Thorn.

His next stop came in Orlando as director of player personnel
for the Magic.While he was there, the team reached
the playoffs five times, signed Tracey McGrady as a free agent,
hired 2000 NBA Coach of the Year "Doc" Rivers and drafted 2001 NBA
Rookie of the Year Mike Miller.

His final stop in the NBA came with the Charlotte
Bobcats.He joined the staff in 2003 as director of
player personnel in preparation for the team's Expansion Selection
and NBA Draft.He joined Charlotte's bench as
assistant coach in 2004.

"Gary
and I spent some time with the Orlando Magic together and to think
he is helping our basketball team here at Lees-McRae is a great
opportunity for everyone," Athletic Director Craig McPhail
said."He is a skilled and accomplished teacher of the
game, with loads of experience and contacts, thus making his
abilities so valuable to our athletic department and our men's
basketball program.I look forward to the continued
development of our men's basketball players as well as those future
Bobcats"

Brokaw
and his wife, Renee, have two daughters, Sommer and Natalie, and
two sons, Brendan and Dylan